A Porteña’s Guide to Buenos Aires Nightlife
(Porteña: a native of Buenos Aires – I’ll use the term loosely)
It’s officially the end of the summer season in Buenos Aires, and that means one thing and one thing only: opening night ragers at BA’s hottest clubs. Of course, there were plenty of amazing clubs – or boliches, en Español – open during January and February (the summer months) but BA residents are returning at a rapid pace and ready to party. Every day of the week is something different; so here’s a breakdown.
MONDAY: La Bomba
Not a dance club, but La Bomba del Tiempo will definitely start your week off with a bang. La Bomba is a drum band that puts on an exhilarating show every Monday in a huge outdoor arena. The place is filled with twenty somethings looking to get their groove on, and you can’t help but be mesmerized by the rapid-fire beat of the bongos and the contagious rhythm of the tambourines. A relatively low-key evening, but still a performance you truly cannot miss.
TUESDAY: Kika
Kika is a moderate-sized dance club located in the trendy neighborhood of Palermo Hollywood. The interior is dark and smokey, and the small(ish) dance floor makes it intimate and easy to meet people. The music is almost exclusively pop, making it the perfect place to belt out your favorite songs and dance your heart out at the same time.
WEDNESDAY: Asia de Cuba
Wednesday nights are a toss-up, since there are many hotspots to try out come midweek. But despite the hefty cover charge (100 pesos, or about $25 US), Asia de Cuba is a surefire choice. You can go to the chic club in the later hours to dance the night away, or you can start a little earlier and eat dinner there; the Asian-fusion menu is to die for, and the cover is comped if you dine in!
THURSDAY: Lost
People in BA love to go out on Thursdays, so there are a multitude of places to hit. Lost is a worthwhile experience, though, as it is one of the only clubs in the city that plays intense, hardcore rap music. All. Night. Long. The crowd is friendly, diverse and down to have a good time. Breakdance circles frequently erupt in the middle of the dance floor, so if you’re feeling confident, join in and bust out those pop-and-lock moves.
FRIDAY: Crobar
One of my personal faves, Crobar is one of the biggest and most popular boliches in Buenos Aires. The club is two stories, and the massive dance floor – and I do mean massive – gives way to an epic DJ booth, complete with digital screens that project crazy light shows all night. The music is all house and electronica, perfect for those nights you want to get a little crazier than usual and let off some excess steam.
Crobar this past Friday
SATURDAY: Terrazas del Este
Truly one of the most beautiful, hip clubs I have ever seen. The beachy white décor meshes flawlessly with the club’s backdrop: a gorgeous patio overlooking the water. There are several rooms to choose from, and each one contains a multitude of chiseled Argentine men just waiting to make your acquaintance. The dance floor area is a bit secluded from the rest of the club, but its floor-to-ceiling glass windows (also overlooking the water) are breathtaking, and the ideal location to watch the sun rise come morning.
Outside Terrazas del Este.
SUNDAY: Club One
Club One has considerably less media coverage than the other clubs, but I’ve been told it is one of BA’s best kept secrets. However, the season opener is this Sunday (tomorrow!), so I have yet to experience the insanity for myself. Fingers crossed it lives up to the hype…